Arf
Every year Aldi and Target have the cutest cat scratchers for the holidays, and while I haven't seen Aldi's yet for the year, I'm so in love with the ones I've seen Target carry. I love that they have so many price point options this year, but I can't stand seeing them sell out so fast and appear on Ebay. Nope.
This week there have been lots of great stories about cats in the news. Here are just a few highlights:
Fans came together during a recent football game to help save a dangling cat who was hanging precariously by the Hard Rock Stadium upper deck. The poor tuxedo cat was barely hanging on when fans used an American flag to catch it and save it from impending doom. It may have been the best moment of the Miami Hurricanes vs. Appalachian State Mountaineers game for many fans, if not the best moment in football history for non-fans!
From zebras to tigers, plenty of animals have stripes, but how do they get there? Scientists now have the answer--for domestic cats, at least. Tabbies are one of the most common types of cat, and scientists now know that they get their distinctive pattern while developing in the womb. Cat stripe patterns develop on the animal's skin cells. The genes that cause the stripes develop before the fur is even in the picture!
It may not be surprising to learn that whether or not it's good to sleep with your cat is... complicated. Isn't every cat complicated? Studies show that it can be beneficial as well as detrimental to sleep with your feline friend, depending on your own experiences and beliefs.
Animal rescue stories normally feature dogs at their hearts, much like a Lassie episode, but in this story it's the cat who helped save an elderly woman. An 83-year-old woman from Cornwall, England fell down a ravine and needed help. Her black cat, Piran, saved the day by meowing for help until a neighbor heard the animal's cries.
Any Garfield fan knows he doesn't have much pride OR shame, but can we really shame a proud cat for wanting a free lunch? Who wouldn't want one, especially if it's available and might help you care for yourself in other ways? Philosophy aside, a new study does confirm that cats would rather be given a free meal than work for food, something that dogs prefer.
Cats in windows are some of the cutest, and sometimes funniest, things to see in a neighborhood. There is a hilarious TikTok video where the owner places a sign that reads, "Not Dead," next to their sleeping cat because the cat is at such an awkward angle in the window!
Months ago we looked at a curious app that helped translate the sounds our cats made. In my home, we found it dubious at best, since my cats kept calling me "Mama." Now there's an app you can use to see how happy your cat is. The app, Tably, analyzes photos taken of your cat to see if they're a content fur baby or not.
This cute TikTok is sure to get most people to smile: a cat decided to introduce her kitten to her owner's baby. The cat, a two-year-old ragdoll, places her kitten next to the baby as if to show it off. Her owner playfully asks why and gives the cat a voice, responding that it's so they can play together. The whole thing is adorable and worth a watch.
